Concrete Retaining Walls in Redmond, WA

Retaining walls in Redmond: what to know

The exemption list counts a wall as exempt when it is not over four feet from the bottom of its footing to the top, and when it does not support a surcharge. The list we read names no liquid threshold, so a wall holding back wet soil is treated on its own terms, and we ask staff how liquid loads are handled. We did not find a Redmond retaining-wall handout, so the design route for a taller wall is confirmed with the city before the footing is set.

The fence rules add a second layer. A fence over six feet needs a building permit, and a wall within five feet of a fence counts as part of that fence. Rockery and retaining-wall fences cannot exceed eight feet unless a valid justification is accepted, and in a setback the zoning text caps a fence and wall within five feet of each other at eight feet combined unless staff or the Technical Committee approve an adjustment. We total the height of any wall that carries a fence before the design is drawn.

Permits and rules in Redmond

We measure each wall from its footing base to its top, record any fence within five feet, and test the eight-foot combined cap wherever a fence sits on or beside the wall. Because the exemption list names no liquid loads, we confirm the liquid treatment with Redmond before quoting a wall that holds back saturated soil. We also verify where the wall drain discharges, since the design depends on where the water leaves the parcel.

Rules change and vary by parcel, so we confirm the current requirements with the city before we start.

How we approach it

Measure from the footing base to the top of the wall
Log any fence within five feet and total the combined height
Confirm liquid loads with staff before quoting a wet wall
Set the wall drain to discharge on the parcel, not the street

For the full process, see our Retaining Walls page.

Building in the cold months? See our guide to winter concrete pours.

Our retaining walls work, serving Redmond

Examples of our work. We build retaining walls in Redmond and the cities around it. See all of our work

Questions from Redmond homeowners

Which Redmond walls can skip a building permit?

A wall not over four feet from the bottom of its footing to the top can skip the permit when it carries no surcharge. Anything taller, or any wall with a surcharge, goes to review, and we confirm the track with the city before quoting.

Does a fence change the permit for a Redmond wall?

It can. A fence over six feet needs a building permit, and a wall within five feet of that fence counts as part of it. In a setback, the combined height of a fence and wall within five feet is capped at eight feet unless staff approve an adjustment.

Does Redmond require an engineer for a taller wall?

We did not find a Redmond wall handout that answers that, so we ask the city which design route applies to your wall height and loads. We line up stamped design work only when the city’s answer calls for it.